GameBanshee Forums

Hi everyone.

I have been thinking of replacing my DVD-ROM as it is really loud. It's quite hard to tell when buying a new one which is quiet, though, so I wondered if anyone could recommend a reasonably quiet DVD-ROM from experience. Doesn't need to have any other features such as copying, just a plain drive for playing DVD's.

TIA .

There is really little point in getting DVD-ROMs, as combo drives cost exactly the same.

I don't think that optical drives vary very much in terms of noise. You can try looking for drives that claim to have some sort of noise-reduction capability, or look for honeycomb-like patterns on top of the drive.

I'd go ahead and get a DVD-RW drive; they're not much more expensive than DVD-ROM drives and you get to burn CDs/DVDs. I saw a 16X double layer DVD±RW at Sam's Club for $79 the other day; a 16X DVD-ROM drive runs between $40-50 retail so I'd shell out the extra dough for DVD-writing capability.

And as rookierookie says, you should not have any noise issues with any new drive you buy.

I'll try looking at some point. The DVD-ROM I have now isn't that old, probably one or two years, so that's why I was asking for specific recommendations if possible. Such as names of products that are known to be good.

Thanks for the advice .

My best recommendation is Microstar International or also known as MSI. They make a pretty silent writer and Dual writers are about all I can lay my hands on at the moment so personally I would recommend them, if not them Samsung is also quiet, but I am not sure as to whether or not they make DVD Dual layer writers. Sony are very quiet as I have not actually heard mine for a while (maybe because computer is not working), but no seriously they are very quiet. Settle for nothing less than a Dual layer writer and just buy blank single layers for now as I am not exactly sure how much dual layer disks are, but they are nearly 20 times the price of a single layer in South Africa.

AFAIK MSI does not make its own drives, it uses OEM drives from other manufacturers, then sell it under their own name.

So, should I still look under the MSI name?

Or does that mean that MSI drives could be all different? In terms of noise production.

sony and samsung are good. I prefer samsung.

I think my current one is Samsung. As loud as aircraft.

You got it lucky. My combo drive is perpetually hungry and I'm looking to replace it.

If I find a good one, I'll recommend it to you.

I vaguely remember seeing an advert for an ASUS drive that claimed to be quiet. I'll have to have a better look for that.

I already replaced that. The new drive is an LG-4167B, about $60 USD.

I'm looking at Samsung at the moment- SH-D162 (16x DVD-ROM)

Apparently it has these features:

Reduce vibrations with ABS (Automatic Ball Balancing System)
Samsung optical pick-ups are able to record and play CD and DVD media with a single lens/dual beam mechanism.
Reduce noise and vibration with DVA (Dynamic Vibration Absorber)

Maybe I'll choose this one.

The new drive is an LG-4167B, about $60 USD.

Is that quiet?

It is all pretty much 6 and one half a dozen of another in the end. Try using a coolermaster fan cranked up to max just to keep your cpu below 40 degrees centrigrade and then I can only sleep when that is running or I have music playing in the background. Very relaxing.

It is there for a function is it not? Sony, LG, Samsung, they are all the same. They will either make a noise or they will not. It performs a job and that is the most important thing. Any one of the modern brands will be pretty quiet. It is the same when it comes to graphics cards, they are just a personal preference if you are only doing office work. If you are going into gaming then it is up to you as well.

But then again it also depends on the price that you are willing to pay for a DVD-Rom. They should be next to nothing over there. I rough conversion for a DVD Dual Layer writer should only be 80 to 90 dollars, American. That should include VAT.

Is that quiet?

Quite. For most computers, the fans and hard disk are the main sources of noise anyway.

It is there for a function is it not? Sony, LG, Samsung, they are all the same. They will either make a noise or they will not. It performs a job and that is the most important thing.

I would say my DVD-ROM is the loudest part in my computer well over the fans and hard drive. I appreciate the function it performs, but that doesn't mean I have to put up with it

And with more and more things using DVD's instead of CD's it becomes more of an issue for me.

I bought the Samsung drive I referred to. It seems good so far, definitely better than the old one I had , which was also Samsung. The new one supposedly has the noise reducing functions so that may explain the difference.

this the one i have im pretty happy with it dose very well not very loud of course it could be that i cant hear any thing over my Case Fans i used custom fans from the us military babe they were use to cool the barrels on M1 tanks but its till a decent DVD burner come with the black front plate if you have a black case as well as a little tool to remove the disk manually if it fails.


[url="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827131253"]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827131253[/url]

Hmm...I only needed a standard DVD-ROM, I don't really copy anything. As for the case it's similar to the ones on this page- http://www.chieftec.com/products/Workcolor/CX01.htm
The DVD-ROM is covered by a door when not in use. I can stand a beige DVD-ROM in a black case for the reduction in noise though.